How Can Suboxone Treat My Opioid Addiction?

About 2.1 million Americans struggle with opioid use disorder, a chronic disease that doesn’t discriminate. If you’re ready to overcome your addiction, you can find the compassionate care you deserve at New Tampa Interventional Pain & Sports Medicine.

Our pain management expert Jose De La Torre, MD, specializes in medication-assisted treatment (MAT) plans to help you stop using opioids without severe withdrawal symptoms.

Dr. De La Torre has extensive experience using Suboxone® and other therapies as part of his addiction therapy programs. He can also offer safer pain management solutions if you still need help controlling a chronic pain condition.

Understanding opioid use disorder

Opioids are a class of drugs that control pain by interacting with opioid receptors in your brain.

The medications reduce your brain’s perception of pain and can be an effective tool in pain management. However, the drugs are powerful and are meant for short-term use.

Medications that fall under the opioid umbrella include:

• Codeine
• Morphine
• Oxycodone
• Hydrocodone
• Methadone
• Fentanyl

Taking opioids for an extended time can increase your risk for opioid use disorder, a condition that makes it difficult to stop using the medications without medical intervention.

Misusing the drugs can also cause potentially life-threatening side effects and premature death.

Recognizing signs of opioid use disorder

The misuse of opioids causes changes to your brain that affect your physical, mental, and behavioral wellness. When you try to stop using the drugs, you may experience a variety of symptoms that can be severe enough to make you take opioids again.

Signs of opioid use disorder can include:

• Confusion
• Agitation
• Nausea
• Anxiety
• Shallow breathing

An overdose of opioids can cause vomiting, irregular breathing, and the loss of consciousness. These symptoms require emergency medical treatment to prevent brain damage and death.

Are you ready to seektreatment for opioid use disorder? Many strategies are available, including Suboxone therapy, to help you detox safely and lead you to lasting recovery.

Dr. De La Torre and our team work closely with you to find the best treatment options to fit your needs based on your overall health.

The advantages of Suboxone

Suboxone is a prescription medication in the opioid family that contains buprenorphine and naloxone. Even though it’s an opiate, Suboxone carries fewer risk factors for dependency and withdrawal symptoms.

The medication works like other opioids by binding to opioid receptors in the brain. However, Suboxone fools your brain into thinking that you’ve taken a full opioid dose, so you experience fewer cravings and uncomfortable symptoms.

Naloxone also blocks the euphoric effects of opioids, so you’re less likely to misuse the medications to achieve a ‘high’ sensation.

Together with psychotherapy and other treatment strategies, Suboxone can give you a greater chance for recovery from opioid use disorder. Dr. De La Torre can also use Suboxone as part of your pain management plan.

Call New Tampa Interventional Pain & Sports Medicine in Wesley Chapel, Florida, today to learn more about the benefits of Suboxone therapy for opioid use disorder. You can also book an appointment online.